2018 Boston Marathon Recap: PR’ed 2:58 in unreal conditions

Monday, August 16th (FYI long blog post ahead)

Starting in Wave 2 at 10:25am

My alarm went off at 7:15am. I checked my Fitbit app and I had slept for 6hrs 36min. I knew falling asleep would be hard due to the excitement of this day! In preparation for the race I averaged an hour more sleep per night for two weeks leading up to the race. Upon getting up I checked the weather, no change. It was going to be a wet, windy and cold day!

For breakfast I had a whole wheat english muffin with almond butter, honey and sliced bananas. To drink I had 1.5 SOS berry packets and 48 ounces of water. All food and water were consumed before 8am. I try to eat/drink 2-2.5 hours before a race. I had laid out my race outfit the night before. I debated switching to half tights or adding a long sleeve under my singlet but stayed with the original outfit. Brooks singlet, buns, baseball hat and arm sleeves, Zensah compression socks, North Face sports bra, Lululemon gloves/mittens, ear muffs and Nike Zoom Vapor Fly 4%. I added Brooks tights and a Lululemon waterproof jacket. I packed Glide, Brooks Gortex Ghost (to warm up in), a winter hat and poncho to warm up in. I took 4 Honey Stinger gels for my race fuel.

My boyfriend drove my friend Tiffany and I to the Hopkinton drop off area. We left Boston at 8:40am. Whatever it Takes by Imagine Dragons was on replay. Whip, whip. Run me like a race horse…over and over again. Due to traffic we arrived at the drop location at 9:37am. We immediately hoped onto one of the buses to take us to Athletes Village. There was a lot more traffic this year than last year. I started getting worried when we were still on the bus and not at the Athletes Village at 10:15. My corral loaded at 9:50. Tiffany and I went to the front of the bus and pleaded with the driver to let us off. After it became apparent other buses were letting people off, she opened the door. We jogged from there to the start. It was a little bit more than a mile. I quickly went to the porta potties and took a gel. I switched from my gortex Brooks to the Nike 4%, took my tights off, added my winter hat and ripped off my clear poncho. I jogged into my corral just as they were jogging to start – perfect timing!

Mile 1 – 6:50

I crossed the starting line and started my watch. Here we go! The start of Boston is always extremely congested. The last two years, I’ve run on the outermost point of the left or right side of the road. I’ve done this to have more of a clear path. My coach advised me to stay in the center of the road this time. So, I did. In the first 600m, my heel was clipped, and I flew forward and somersaulted to the group, legs went completely in the air. I land on my right hip, slid a little and both hands went into a pothole puddle. Runners around me screamed, “Runner down, runner down!” I jumped back to my feet, yelled I was okay and kept running. I thought I had ripped my buns – thank god I hadn’t!

Mile 2 – 6:49

I quickly realized my gloves were completely soaked from the fall. I began to worry, because I hate having cold hands and there were 25+ miles to go. I kept them on, thinking at least they were a shield from the wind. This mile was full of trying to get through the crowd and stay in the center of the road. Prior to the race and based on the weather, my coach updated my race plan. He said to stay 6:50-7min pace for the first 10-15 miles. So far, so good. I felt like I was going much slower.

Mile 3 – 6:48

This mile was again all about moving through the field. Another basically downhill mile. I kept it controlled and reminded myself I was on the low side of my coach’s pace for the first 15 miles. By the end of mile 3 I tossed off my winter fleece hat. It had served its purpose, for 3 miles it kept my head completely dry. I now had the dry fit baseball hat and my clip-on ear muffs. Also, by the end of mile 3 my socks and feet were absolutely soaked. Puddles on the course at times were ankle deep or had water sweeping by like a small river on the street.

Mile 4 – 6:26

First thought, whoa girl, slow down! You’re supposed to be no faster than 6:50. Again, I kept moving through the field, staying on the center line. My coach had also told me to tuck in behind taller, bigger guys as much as possible and shift more to the left or the right of the road depending on the wind. I kept looking for them ahead of me, would catch up to a group of guys and then felt like we weren’t moving, so I’d move on to finding the next pack to shield the wind. The wind and rain felt like they were coming from both the left and right side, so staying in the middle was the plan. At the end of mile 4 I decided to toss my Lululemon jacket. I hope someone found it and kept it – it was a great jacket for cold weather runs! I ditched it because I was warm underneath it and was afraid one of two things would happen. One – I’d start really getting hot under there and when I did take it off would be freezing. Two – it would end of soaked, wet and heavy on my skin. So, I tossed it.

Mile 5 – 6:48

Back closer to on pace! This mile in Ashland has a slight incline to it. I still felt really good! The rain was coming down hard. At some points during this mile the sky opened up and it almost felt like hail. The wind was present throughout this entire race.

Mile 6 – 6:24

I’ve ran Boston in 2016 and 2017, plus practiced on the course about 10x. I like the portion leading to the 10k mark in Framingham. The crowd is usually very large and loud here. Once again, this year they were. I think my mile was faster here because I was excited to hit the 10k mark. I again reminded myself to slow it down and stay relaxed – this was very early in the race.

Mile 7 – 6:30

The course is still relatively flat and downhill. Again, this mile I tried to get back to 6:50 pace. I felt great and kept moving through the field. I hadn’t tucked into a pack or found a group to run with because I’d come upon one and then felt like we weren’t moving. At this point in the race, no one has gone by me. I was receiving a confidence boost from each pack I ran by. When I was in college the Columbia XC team ran races this way. They started out slow and at the back of the field and then worked their way through. They drew energy from the feeling of passing person after person. I thought about this out there and kept passing people. I also took my gloves off and held them, squeezing them dry from time to time.

Mile 8 – 6:42

Feeling good, feeling strong. It’s raining, cold and windy – but I’m cruising along. I keep looking forward to catching the next person. Run to one person, draft for a couple seconds, then onto the next one. In my mind I’m wondering when I’ll start seeing red bibs as I pass people. I remind myself you’re supposed to be no faster than 6:50 until mile 15…. that’s 7 miles away. Relax and keep your legs in check.

Mile 9 – 6:39

Pace quickened. Knowing the course, another favorite spot is downtown Natick. There are tall church steeples and the library, coming up at mile 10. Always a popular spectator spot on the course. I think I ran faster this mile, trying to get there.

Mile 10 – 6:38

My gloves were wet and felt like I was carrying 1-2lb weights. The gloves have sentimental value, as they were a gift from my BF and I’ve run a half PR in them. I ran a bit off the course to hand them to a man in the yard of a blue house before the library in Natick. I told him I would be back to pick them up this weekend. Haha. I am going back on Saturday. Here’s hoping he put them aside. This mile was again faster than planned due to the conditions. My original pace goal (before the weather conditions) was no faster than 6:40 pace for the first 10-15miles. Still feeling good and cruising I thought about keeping this pace, but for a split second remembered the last 2 Boston’s being a struggle and realized get back closer to 6:50.

Mile 11 – 6:43

It really, really came down this mile. So much rain and so much wind. This mile was a bit uphill, then down. Still felt great, still passing people. The field moved to the right side of the road and I was cruising on the right side but closer to the center line.

Mile 12 – 6:3

First Honey Stinger gel taken on this mile. I take my gels as I see the Cliff gel stations. Time dropped back down here…probably because of the Wellesley Scream Tunnel. It’s loud, really loud. And I flew through here. Two weekends before the marathon I did one of my long runs from Wellesley College to the finish. I love this part of the course. I always loved XC over track, trails over road, so the 2nd half of the race is my kind of race. Still feeling really good and almost halfway!

Mile 13 – 6:45

I went through the half in 1:27:41. Considering my PR is 1:26…. I felt amazing. (Side note going for a new half PR this summer. It was from a race while training for Boston. The first 8 miles were strictly at 6:50, then I could race.) I reminded myself you’ve been under goal pace for almost the entire race. Stay focused and relaxed. 2 more miles then you can go after those hills and really make up time the last 5 miles!

Mile 14 – 6:40

Mostly flat mile through downtown Wellesley. Still feeling good. Still passing people. In all honesty, not 1 person has run by me. No tucking or drafting, just moving from person to person, chasing sub 3! Skies opened up again to giant rain drops. The people I was running by and I looked at each other and shrugged, we’re already soaked we said, ha-ha. What is mother nature going to throw at us next?

Mile 15 – 6:57

I felt the wind this mile and the rain picked up. For the first time it seemed to affect my pace. I’m glad I stayed under 7min. In my mind I’m thinking – you did it – first part of the race plan was met. All miles well under the 6:50-7min range. Okay, now it’s time to really work this course!

Mile 16 – 6:28

Back on track and rolling. I took advantage of this mile, knowing to well the hills are about to begin. Feeling good. Running straight through all the puddles. Still haven’t been passed and now I’m passing red bib runners (those who were in Wave 1). This is the first mile were my arms are cold. My hands had been cold the entire race, but now my arms were cold. I thought about taking off my arm sleeves…they were soaked…but decided to keep them. This mile crosses over the highway (95). It’s not that bad of a hill, but it’s out in the open and the wind was brutal here.

Mile 17 – 7:12

First mile over 7 min pace. I told myself get back on track and keep the effort consistent. Your time will slow on the hills but roll off of them and stay strong. At the Cliff station I went to get my Honey Stinger gel out of my sports bra pocket (North Face Stow N Go bra has a built in pocket!) and surprisingly couldn’t. What had been so easy to do at mile 11 was now a struggle. I knew what I needed to do reach into bra, grab gel, rip it open and squeeze it into my mouth. Problem was my hands were so numb I couldn’t feel my fingers and couldn’t feel the gel. Using both hands to push the gel up and grab it, I finally did it. It was a struggle to open it and I used my mouth to suck down the gel. This is when I began to realize the cold was setting in. Get to the finish as fast as possible. I was hoping to keep all hill miles right under 7. This was one 7:12. I’ll take it, since it to me, is the Fire House Hill is the worst of the Newton hills.

Mile 18 – 7:08

Okay, you’re okay. A little faster than last mile. Keep the effort consistent and get through these miles of hills. I also had a friend at this spot. All smiles to see her! Hi Kim!

Mile 19 – 6:38

Yesss, that’s good. Back on pace. Just 2 more miles including hills then it’s all downhill. Keep going girl, stay strong. Attack those hills

Mile 20 – 6:58

Okay, you’re under 7 good job. Here I see another friend and former friar – Paul. Keep moving. Just have heartbreak hill left. You are so close. Still passing people and still haven’t been passed yet by any runners. Quick short strides up the hills

Mile 21 – 7:25

Heartbreak hill may be as bad as they say or at least my time reflects that. But the hills are over! Get back to sub 6:40!!! Let’s do this. You are so close!! A few people cheered, “Go team Brooks!” “Go USA” Little did I know…they were referring to Desi having won

Mile 22 – 6:32

You are strong, you run trails, you trained on this course, fly home. I kept telling myself that. This was the last mile I felt good. My legs, quads especially were tight. I can’t quite describe the feeling…they felt like at any minute I would freeze in place. My arms are numb. I’m pumping them, but I don’t feel them. I couldn’t take my last gel at the last Cliff gel station. I tried once but couldn’t get my hands to work. Just 4 more miles, you can make it without the gel. I was so close. Must keep moving. If I tripped, slipped or fell I knew I wouldn’t be able to run again. My body was beginning to lose the battle with the cold, wet, windy weather. The first person passed me. Yes, the first person to run by me the entire marathon. It was a guy in a red bib, in a sky blue shirt. Try to go with him, I told myself!

Mile 23 – 6:49

Frustration. This was when I was supposed to be flying but instead, I was slowing. The supporters along the course were so loud. I was still passing runners, all red bibs now. People were yelling, “Brooks, you’re so strong, Go girl!” I tried to keep moving the best I could.

Mile 24 – 6:45

I caught back up to blue shirt guy and ran side by side with him for a bit. 2 miles only 2 miles. I tried to do the math in my head and thought I could still be sub 3. Must keep running. Family and friends are so close. You will be okay. My quads felt worse. I’ve never had cramping before – was this cramping? It wasn’t super painful. It was more my legs won’t move? I thought it must be the cold, you’re so cold your muscles are shriveling up and dying. (Not really but that’s what I was thinking).

Mile 25 – 6:53

After 24 I didn’t look at my watch until the finish. It was so close, yet so far. I remembered from my last 2 Boston’s the last 2 miles seems so long. This year was supposed to be different. I’d cruised home on this portion of the course 6x this winter in training runs. Blue shirt guy was moving through the runners. Again, I tried to follow and catch back up to him.

Mile 26 – 7:19

Ugh. Not the time I wanted for my last mile. But I was still running and passing people. The little dip under the bridge on Commonwealth then back up before the right on Hereford, wow did I feel that tiny hill. On Hereford I saw another friend – Hi Grace! I was here, left on Boylston. Sprint down Boylston! Another friend Katherine, right at mile 26! I felt like I was moving fast, still passing people, but my last .34 was 2:14. I crossed the finish line and started crying. I looked at my watch: 26.34 in 2:58:41 – actual time was 2:58:37. I did it! In the worst conditions I’ve ever raced in, I ran a 19-minute PR and broke 3 hours. Before the weather my goal was 2:50-2:55 for the race. With the weather, sub 3 and adjusted paces sub 3 seemed highly unlikely but I did it. Finally, after 2 awful runs at Boston, I ran one hell of a race. I was so, so happy. I was freezing and shivering and shaking but on cloud 9. I looked for blue shirt guy and jogged ahead to him. I gave him a high five and told him he helped me out and how I was trying to catch back up to him before the finish. He said he was from Los Angeles. Ha, small world I told him I ran at USC during grad school. Blue shirt guy was the only person who passed me the entire marathon. Starting in Wave 2 and having the momentum of passing person after person – definitely built up my confidence during the race. Volunteers asked if I needed help, because I was crying and probably because I had purple lips and was white as a ghost. I said no, had the medal placed on my neck, grabbed a water and the snack bag and made my way to Post 390. I was meeting family and friends there. I cried the entire walk there, happy, joyous tears, I thanked God for being with me during the run. I met my parents and boyfriend at the restaurant and they all said, “Are you okay? Your lips are purple. You are white as a ghost!” I was better than okay, I was ecstatic. All the training, the early morning wake ups, the tempos, the track workouts, the long runs, the runs in the cold, snowy New England winter, my goals, my dreams – they all aligned on 4/16/18. And I was so happy and so grateful to have such amazing family & friends with me to celebrate. Thank you to everyone who supported me during this journey, who trained with me, who cheered me on, who came out race day – it meant so much. I’m a super lucky girl. Love you all. Now it’s on to the next goal. Because 2:58 was just the beginning. -A